Spring group assembly



Oct. 28, 1952 J, FLESCH 2,615,709

SPRING GROUP ASSEMBLY Filed April 21, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I 16 20 INVENTORL Oct. 28, 1952 J- E. FLESCH SPRING GROUP ASSEMBLY 2 Sl-IEETSSHEET 2 Filed April 21; 1950 JNVENTOR. C in J5. ZZesc/i tical locking members;

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 SPRING GROUP ASSEMBLY John E. Flesch, Ls Angeles, Calif., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a

poration of New Jersey v Application April 21, 1950, Serial No. 157,388

This invention relates to package spring groups and more particularlyitoa novel arrangement for locking such a package in assembled relationship. l v

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel' locking arrangement which may be easily applied and removed from the package and which will not interfere with the operation thereof.

A further object or the invention is to provide a novel locking device which may be readily incorporated in a spring group and which may be easily dismantled togacco mmodate disassembly of the spring group.

Another object of the invention isto devise a compact, simple locking arrangement. which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and which will positively limit expansion of the package whereby the parts areprevented from accidentally disassembling and causing injury or damage. .j g

A difierent object of the invention is to provide a locking arrangement which will remain in the package at all times and is removable to permit dismantling.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a removable, rugged lock assembly which will fit intothe limited space in a friction shoe carrier on one plate and interlock witha friction casing on the other plate. I These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view, partly in section, of a package spring, group incorporating the inremoved;

Figure 2 is tially on the line 2.2of Figure 3;

FigureB is a side .elevational view, partlyinvertical section, the sectionbeing taken substantially on theiline 3-3 of Figure 1;"

Figure 4 is a top plan view. of one of the iden- Figure 5 is a side elevational viewxof thelock- 'ing member; .4 Figures 6 to 9 illustratea. modification of the invention, Figure 6 is atop plan view,-part1 horizontal section, the section being taken on the line 66 of Figure 8 with the friction shoes removed, Figure '7 is an end View, partly in section, the section being taken substantially in the transverse vertical plane as indicated by the line;

1 an end view,.partly in vertical cross section, the section being .taken substan-..

" tionthe same. q

19 Claims. (Cl. 267-9) 2 1---! of Figure 6, Figure view, partly in section, the section being, taken, substantially in the longitudinal vertical plane; as indicated by the line 8 8 of Figure 6; and. Figure '9 is a fragmentary.sectional view of the top follower comparable to that shown in Figure 8, and illustrating the application of a height adjustment block. the views certain detailS.

may be omitted where more clearly shown", in

other-views. v

Describing the invention mi detail a dr'ieiiini first to Figures 1 to 5, the springgroup comprises top and bottom spring plates 2 andjfdwith a;sjet of inner and outer coil springs 6 andflgpositioned;

, at each corner thereof. The top plate comprises.

. their lateral edges,toprovide wedge faces 2 a depending peripheral flange 9, confinin bthe upper ends of the springs 6. and 8.: ,"Thejtop plate carries a topfollower l0 telescopedfwithin an upstandingbottom follower or friction casingl-2 formed integral with the: bottom ,plate' inter-j% mediate the ends thereof and'extenamgm'ransg versely of the spring group between the springs at opposite ends'of the group; .The bottoin-.;plate' comprises an upstanding peripheral: flange-1'43 surrounding the lowerends of the spring toposi The casing I2 'is of rectangularform and:

prises interconnected spaced end :wallslfig lfiar'id Each-end wall M 6 is provided on its internal side with 'afriction 'wear plate 20 connected thereto in anyconvenieii-t spaced side walls l8, l8.

manner preferably as by Welding at 22, 22. I

The top follower IO comprises spaced side wal 24, 24 and spaced transverse walls '26,--==26 int1er i connecting the sidewalls intermediate "-th walls, 26 extendingvertically 'and'being fjormed' bottom side of the top plate 2. The lower-e of the side walls 24, 24'diverge downwardly and a pocket adjacent each frictionplate' 20 A friction shoe, generally indicated 32;15

ceived within each pocket and is i'n' wedge e s gagement with the surfaces 28, 2 8 and"the*a'djacent friction plate 20. Each shoe-'is actiratedby a spring 33 compressed between-the shee and the'top plate. The construction ,ofrthe i'shoe iandr the wedge engagement between .the..-sh'oe' andlthe top follower is substantially thesamc as:.-i'that:t described in Claus. L1; Werner; Clasen;,;Unit ed;

States Patent No.-2,48 3,181, for Spring group, issued September 27,1949

It will be appreciated that with-1the s i e t p ndbottom sections ma sep-lf' 1s a side" elci' iphali',

arate and unless means are provided to limit expansion of the spring group, the top follower and the friction shoes may be withdrawn from the bottom follower I2 whereupon the spring group will become dismantled and inasmuch as loads up to about 3,000 pounds per square inch are imposed on the springs 33, it will be appreciated that accidental disassembly could cause severe injury.

The feature of the present invention is the provision of locking means which are retained in the spring group at all times for limiting expansion of the same and maintaining the parts in assembled relationship.

The locking arrangement comprises vertically elongated aligned slots 34, 34 in the side walls 24, 24 of the top follower and registering vertically elongated slots 36, 36 in the side walls I8,.

I8 of the bottom follower.

The top follower comprises a bottom generally horizontal wall 38 integral with the lower edges of walls 24 and 26 thereof, thereby strengthening said top follower. Centrally on the top side of the bottom wall 38 is formed a T-shaped abutment member, generally indicated 48, said abut- 38, and'which at its lateral ends is also formed integral with the walls 26, 26. The bottom wall 38 together with webs 42 and 44 forms pockets 46, 46 at'opposite sides of the abutment member 48.

Locking keys, generally indicated 48, 48, are received within the top follower at opposite sides of the abutment member 48 through an opening 68 in the top plate 2, the opening 58being verticallyaligned with the hollow space indicated 52 between the walls 24 and 26. Each key or looking. device 48 is in the form of a bell crank and comprises a fulcrum or lobe 54 intermediate its ends. and a tongue 56 at one end and an upstanding stop member 58 at its other ends, said stop member being formed integral with the rear end of the tongue and extending substantially horizontally at its lower end across the top of the lobe 54. The lobe 54 of each member 48 is received within the adjacent pocket 46, the lobe affording a seat at its lower end as at 68 against the top of the bottom wall of the top follower and; affording with the lower extension'62 of the stop member 58- an abutment as at 64 against the underside of the horizontal web 44 of the abutment member 48. The upstanding portion 58 of the locking member is seated at opposite sides of the tongue as at 68 against the interior side of the associated side wall 24 of the'top follower. The tongue 56 of each locking member projects through-the associated slots 34 and 36. The tongue 56 is adapted for abutment as at I8 with a downwardly'facing surface on the associated wall, I8 of the bottom follower at the top end of the related slot 36, thereby limiting expansion' of the spring group. It will be readily understood that abutment of each locking member 48'atpoints68, '64 and 68 prevents rotation of member 48 so that a positive locking action between the top'and bottom followers is obtained.

In order to disassemble the spring group, shown in Figures 1 through 5, the package is turned upside down' with the top plate seated on a press platen or suitable jig. A load is applied on the bottom plate compressing the group until the locking members 48, 48 rotate due to gravity at points 64, 64 and the tongues 56, 56 thereof withdraw from the slots 34, 36 whereupon the members 48, 48 will fall into the center opening or space 52 of the top follower. The load may then .be released and the spring package will readily disassemble.

To assemble the spring package, the bottom plate is placed on a press platen and the springs 6 and 8 are positioned in the pockets at the corners of the bottom plate. The springs 33 are then inserted into the shoes 32 and the shoes are positioned in the respective pockets 38, 38 in the top follower. The shoes are held assembled with the top plate by bolts (not shown) which may be applied through openings I2 and I4 in the top plate and the shoes. The locking devices 48, 48 are inserted into the opening 52 through the opening 58 and arranged to assume the positions shown in Figure 3. The top plate assembly is then positioned on the springs 6 and 8 whereby the bottom edges 'I'6 of the tongues of the locking members 48 will engage the upper edges I8 of the side walls I8 of the bottom follower. As the load-carrying springs 6 and 8 are compressed, the locking members will rotate upwardly until the tongues are raised high enough to clear the side walls I 8, I8 and then on further compression will move between the side walls to points in line with the slots 36, 36 whereupon the tongues 56, 56 will enter the slots 36, 36. Thereupon the pressure on the spring package may be released, the expansion of the package being limited by the locking devices.

Preferably the locking means should look the spring group when the load springs are at substantially free height. However, under certain circumstances it may be desirable to lock the package with the load springs under substantial initial compression in order to fit the package within a small space. This may be accomplished by applying small non-ferrous, preferably aluminum metal pieces to the upper face 88 of the tongues 56 of the locking members, the metal pieces as shown in phantom lines at 82 in Figure 5 are adapted to engage the upper ends of the slots 36 as at 18. These pieces may, of course, be applied to the upper ends of slots 36. These pieces of non-ferrous metal may be left in after the package has been installed and will disintegrate after a few blows between the tongue and upper end of the slot during oscillation of the spring package.

Figures 6 to 9 illustrate a modification of the invention wherein like parts corresponding to those shown in Figures 1 to 3 are identified by corresponding reference numerals. This modification presents an extension as the idea shown in Figures 1 to 5. The locking arrangement comprises the slots 34 and 36 in the side walls 24 and I8 of the top and bottom followers. In the present modification the locking members, generally indicated I88, I88, are carried by the bottom follower on cradles formed on the outer sides of the side walls. Each cradle comprises a pair of outstanding lugs I82, I82 disposed at opposite sides of the associated slot 36. Each pair of lugs receives the associated locking member I88 therebetween. The locking member is generally L-shaped in side elevation and, as best seen in Figure 8, comprises a depending weight lug I84 which at its upper end merges with one end of a tongue I86. The tongue extends through the slots 36 and'34, and in looking position is an abutment at its upper edge as at I08 with the upper edge of the associated slot 36 and atits bottom edge adjacent its inner en'd'is an abutment as at IIO with the top side on the bottom wall 38 of the top follower. The locking member is provided intermediate its ends at the juncture of the weight lug I04 and the tongue: I06, with fulcrums or trunnions II2, IIZ, extending fromopposite sides thereof andpivoted within complementary recesses H4, H4 in theupper edges of the cradle lugs I02, I02. I

In Figure 9 is shown the application of a block II6 of non-ferrous material such as aluminum to-decrease the initial height of a spring package as shown, the block H6 is fastened to the upper leg I I8 of an U-shaped steel spring clip, the

upper leg II8 engaging the top surface of the bottom wall 38 of the top follower, and the lower leg Iwhich is joined by a base section I22 to the upper leg II8'engages thebottom side of wall 38. It will be noted that theblock- H6 is positioned at the bottom of the associated slot 34'and that after a few oscillations of the spring group it will be disintegrated by being pounded between the tongue I08 and the bottom wall 38: It will be noted that the locking members I00, I00 will'normally be retained in looking position inasmuch as the weight lugs I04 thereof will tend to rotate the locking members to locking position as best seen in Figure 8. Thelocking members will not disassemble from the bottom follower inservice inasmuch as the axis of pivot of each member is in close proximity to the contact at I 08.

In order to disassemble the spring package, the spring package is inverted andseated on its top plate 2 and the package-4s then compressed whereupon the locking members are pivoted at contacts I08 and will fall out ofthe cradles and coincidentally withdraw the tongues thereof from the slots 34 and 36; whereupon the'spring cidentally the top follower is inserted into the I bottom follower. The bottom endor wall 38-of the top follower, after it is entered into the bottom follower, engages the top edges of the tongues of the locking members I00, I00. The spring group iscompressed whereupon the keys or locking members are rotated in directions moving the tongues downwardly. The compression is continued mm the bottom wall of the top' follower clears the lower edges of the tongues, whereupon the locking members will immediately rotate to positions entering the tongues I06, I06 into the slots 34, 34 by the counterweight lugs I04, I04. The pressure on the spring group is then relieved whereupon the spring group will expand as readily seen in Figures 7 and 8.

I claim:

1. A spring group comprisingtop and bottom plates and load-carrying springs confined therebetween, friction means in parallel with the springs and comprising telescoping top and bottom followers connected to respective plates, each follower having generally vertical spaced side walls, the-side walls'on'on'e follower being ar ranged adjacent therespective side wa'usor the other follower, and means for -limitingexpan-* sion of said spring gr'oupcomprising horizontally aligned, vertically elongated slots in adjacent walls of respective followers, and-locking members carried by said one follower adjacentthe side walls thereof,- *each locking member having a tongue adapted to enter theadjacentslots upon predetermined compression of said group through rotation of the locking member, each locking memberhaving abutment with the one follower at vertically separated points spaced longitu'di nally of the locking member'and engageable'with' the other follower atone end of the related slot.'

2. "A spring group comprising top andbotto'm plates, load-carrying springs therebetween,'tele'- scoping top and bottom followers connected to respective platesyeach follower having-generally parallel side walls, the side walls of one follower being arranged adjacent the respective side walls of the other follower, and means for limiting expansion of said spring group comprising *horizontally aligned vertically elongated slots in ad jjacent' walls of respective followers, and locking means carried by the top follower between th'e Walls thereof and comprising a' locking member adjacent each side wall, eachlocking member having abutment atone point with adownwardly 1 facing surface of the top follower andhavin'g abutment at another point with the intei-iorof theassociated side wallof'the top follower at an ber extending through the slots in adjacent side 3 walls of respective followersand having abutment at its top side With the upper end of the slot in the related side wall of" thebottom follower to limit expansion of the spring'group." I

3. A spring group comprising a'bott m follower, a top follower telescopingthereinto, spring means operatively associated with said followers for urging them apart; friction shoes at opposite sides of the top follower in wedge engagement there with and in frictional engagement with opposed upright surfaces within said bottom follower,

v extending horizontally through slots in adjacent walls of said rtop and bottom followersandengaging the top side of said bottom web.

4. A spring group comprising inner and outer vertically movable followers, spring means re-" acting between the followers, saidouter follower comprising spaced end walls and spaced side webs, said inner follower comprising spaced side walls,

friction shoes extending between said side walls abutment means connected thereto, and keys fu1- crumed intermediate their ends against said abutment means and each having one of its ends extending upwardly and in abutment with the internal'sides of the related: side wall, eachkey extending at its other end through an opening of the adjacent side wall into-a vertically elongated slot in the adjacent side web.

5. In a spring group,,top and bottom telescoping followers, spring means associated therewith and-urging them apart, and means for limiting separatory movement of said followers comprisingretainer keys at opposite sides of the followers and having horizontal tongues extending through vertically elongatedslots in said followers, said keys being rotatably-mountedon one of the followers, cooperating means on said keys and one follower for limiting rotation of the keys in a. direction moving said tongues from the horizontal to a position permitting separation of said followers, said keys capable of being rotated in the opposite direction against the force of gravity to positions disposing said tongues out of said slots to permit assembly and disassembly of said followers.

6. A spring group, according to claim 5, wherein the bottom follower comprises spaced lugsat each-side thereof at opposite sides of the adjacent slot therein, arcuate seats on the top sides of the lugs, and wherein each key comprises trunnions at one end of its tongue and a downwardly extending weight lug, the trunnions being received on the seats of the adjacent lugs.

7. A spring group, according to claim 5, wherein the top follower comprises a bottom wall and abutment means thereon and each keyis provided with a lobe at one end of its tongue extending between said Wall and said abutment means in engagement therewith. and each key having a portion extending upwardly into the top follower along a substantially vertical portion thereof and in engagement therewith.

8. In a spring group assembly, top and bottom plates, top and bottom telescoping followers connected to respective plates, and means for limiting expansion of said group comprising substantially parallel walls on respective followers arranged in adjacent relationship with vertically elongated horizontally aligned slots therethrough, and a locking member carried by one of said followers and having a tongue disposed edgewise vertically and extending through said slots, said tongue being adapted to engage the other follower at one end of the slot in the wall thereof to limit expansion of said group, said locking member being rotatable out of said slots when said group is compressed to accommodate assembly and disassembly thereof.

9. -An assembly, according to c1aim'8, wherein said bottom follower comprises a pair of outwardly extending lugs disposed at opposite sides of the slot therein and-said tongue is pivoted at one end on said lugs, a weight lugextending downwardly from said one end of said tongue, an abutment surface at the upper end of the slot in the wall of said bottom follower bearingagainst the top edge of the tongue, and a surface at the bottom of the slot in the wall of the top follower bearing against the bottom edge of the tongue.

10. A spring group comprising top and bottom plates, spring means confined therebetween, top and bottom telescoping followers carried by respective plates, and means for limiting expansion of the group comprising a locking member buttressed at two points on its top and bottom against one of said followers and extending at one end into a vertically elongated slot in theother of said followers for abutment with said other follower at one end of the slot therein.

11. A spring group, according to claim '10,

whereinsaid bottom follower telescopes over said top follower and wherein said bottom follower comprises a cradle on its external side pivotally mounting said locking member and whereinsaid locking member abuts the cradle on its bottom side and at its top side abuts a downwardly facing surface on the bottom follower at a point spaced inwardly of the cradle toward the axis of said followers and wherein said one end of said member extends inwardly of-said point and abuts on its bottom side against an-upwardly facing surface on the top followerto limit expansion of the group.

12. A spring group, according to claim '10, whereinsaid member is pivoted to said bottom follower and is rotatable to a position out of engagement with said top follower to accommodate assembly and disassembly of said group.

13. A spring group, according to claim 10, wherein said locking member is locatedwithin the lower end of said top follower.

14. A spring group-comprising top andbottom' telescoping followers, and means for limiting expansion of the group comprising a locking member buttressed at two points on its top and bottom sides against one follower and extending into a vertically elongated slot in the other'of said followers for abutment with said other fol-' lower at one end of the slot therein, and a disintegrable adjustment block connected tosaid other follower at said one end of said slot for abutment with said locking member.

15. A spring group comprising top and bottom telescoping followers, means for limiting expansion of the group comprising a key carried by one follower, a wall on the other follower abuttable with said key, a height adjusting block interposed between abutting faces of the key and wall, and means for securing said block to the wall comprising a clip integral with the block and clipped to the wall.

16. A spring group comprising spaced'spring plates, spring means for urging said plates apart, a key carried by one plate, a wall carried by the other plate and abuttable with said key to limit separatory movement of said plates, and a disintegrable height adjusting block interposed between said key and said wall.

17. In a spring group, spaced plates, spring means urging said plates apart, and means for limiting separatory movement of the plates comprising a key pivotally fulcrumed to oneplate and engaged with the other plate, and means on saidone plate for limiting pivotal movement of the key in a direction accommodating'separatory movement'of the plates.

18. A spring group, according to claim 17, wherein the last mentioned means are characterized by a substantially vertical surface of said one plate engaged with said key.

19. A spring group, according to claim 17-, wherein the-last mentioned means are characterized by a substantially horizontal surface of said one plate engaged with said key.

JOHN E. FLESCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,483,172 Bachman Sept. 27, 1949 2,483,181 Clasen Sept. 27, 1949 

